Alcanza means reach
Helping mission-driven organizations reach further, together
Our Services
At Alcanza Impact, we tailor our approach to the unique needs of our clients. Our engagements range from advisory to fractional — bridging the gap between strategy and implementation.
For Funders
Drawing on years of experience in equity-focused philanthropy, we help foundations, families, and individuals design giving that aligns with their values and reaches their vision for social impact. We provide:
Grantmaking diligence and strategy
Portfolio learning and refinement
Convening design and facilitation
Grantee support and communities of practice
For Nonprofits and School Systems
We partner with mission-driven organizations to refine strategy, build programs, and find funding to support them. Our experience in education ensures the work is rooted in universal design where no one is an afterthought. We provide:
Strategy design and implementation
Program design and management
Funder navigation and development strategy
For Cross-Sector Efforts
The most impactful work is often done within networks of people across organizations and sectors. Our experience in network design and facilitation accelerates impact. We provide:
Partnership design
Governance and decision-making structures
Stakeholder alignment and facilitation
Who We Are
Alcanza Impact is a Los Angeles-based consulting practice that partners with nonprofits, school systems, and philanthropic organizations seeking increased social impact. Founded by Vanessa Murrieta, we bring expertise in strategy and implementation, program design, and development. Alcanza means “reach”, and that’s what we help you do: reach your goals in service of—and with—the communities you care about most.
The strategies that work for people furthest from opportunity tend to work better for everyone. We design with this in mind, using principles of universal design, so the work holds up under real conditions and reaches the communities it's meant to serve. That's how Alcanza Impact approaches every engagement.
Our Founder
Vanessa brings twenty years of classroom and school system experience, foundation leadership, and strategic consulting. Previously, Vanessa was a program officer at Gates Foundation where she designed and led portfolios focused on teacher networks and on improving outcomes for students with disabilities.
Prior to her in-house philanthropy role, she was a consultant for clients that included Gates, WestEd, and public K-12 school systems. Vanessa started her career as a high school special education teacher in Los Angeles. The through-line in her work has always been inclusion, equity, and access.
She is a certified Impact Philanthropy Advisor through Daylight Advisors and holds a Professional Facilitation Certification through Voltage Control. She is a proud daughter of immigrants and native Spanish speaker.
Get in touch
send a note at vanessa@alcanzaimpact.com or use the form below